Leota back to Te Wānanga o Raukawa Pulse

Former Silver Ferns star Liana Leota is going back to her roots, rejoining Te Wānanga o Raukawa Pulse as assistant coach for the 2026 ANZ Premiership season. Leota will work alongside head coach Anna Andrews-Tasola, who enters her third year at the helm, as the pair shape a refreshed Pulse side for the new campaign.

Credit: Wendy Paver

A dynamic midcourter during her playing days, Leota earned 41 caps for the Silver Ferns before turning her attention to coaching. Her transition began in England, as husband Johnny’s professional rugby career took the family to Sale, outside Manchester. During her time abroad, she played for Manchester Thunder and Severn Stars before joining Leeds Rhinos as a coach.

Leota’s coaching career continued to flourish with the England Roses, serving as a technical coach from 2021 and stepping up as interim head coach for the side as they travelled to New Zealand for the 2023 Taini Jamison Trophy series.

After more than a decade overseas, Leota returned to New Zealand earlier this year, joining the Southern Steel as assistant coach and she is currently serving as interim assistant coach for the Silver Ferns. However, her decision to move closer to family in Palmerston North ultimately guided her next step.

“Coming back from England and going down to Steel, I went by myself,’’ she said. “My children were based in Palmerston North with my family and my husband’s family… so the decision to go home was simple, that they needed a parent around them.”

For Leota, the return to Pulse is personal. “The Steel holds a huge place in my heart but also, Pulse does too. It’s where I grew up, it’s the pathway that gave me the opportunity to become a Silver Fern.”

With the Pulse facing a rebuild following player departures, Leota is energised by the opportunity to shape a new team identity. “Having that blank canvas is always a luxury… being able to start fresh and hopefully stamp my mark on them.”

The Pulse also paid tribute to outgoing assistant coach Kim Howard, thanking her for her “valuable contribution” across the 2024 and 2025 seasons.